Always A Hero
by xbecbebex
Summary: He was lying there, as good as dead aside from the air that was coming in and out of his lungs. "Come back to me."
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Sorry I haven't updated 'Smile, Darling, Smile' yet. I wrote half a chapter and deemed it stupid and have yet to revisit to fix it. I've been working a lot too so my time off is spent curled up in bed or on an adventure. Anywho, here is a random one shot! Hope you like. REVIEW PLEASE! I suppose I'll write Chapter two for this but won't post it for a few hours. I want some reviews! **

**DISCLAIMER: Still don't own Criminal Minds. If I did, you can bet I wouldn't have everyone anxiously waiting to see what becomes of Emily Prentiss. I can't… Handle that next episode. I will cry. OOPS. Anyway, back to the story!**

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

Lila Archer was in California for the week, filming a small part in a crime show that eerily was similar to her boyfriend's role in his real team. She was some sort of genius, spouting off information when no one really asked for it. It was like the writers had followed Spencer Reid around and made the role feminine and stuck her in it. Either way, she was starting to really sympathize with him after nearly two dozen eyes were rolled in her direction. This was only acting and it pissed her off! She could only imagine what Spencer felt! She made a mental note to never roll her eyes again no matter how boring the statistic was.

She was sitting in her trailer in between takes, dressed in a plain looking blue button up dress. One that must have come right out of a thrift shop from the 90's. It was ugly but it was part of the character so she made it work. She had very little make-up on as well. The make-up artist told her that they were trying to make her look plain. Her character's glory days were at the end of the next episode when she's shot and dies in the arms of a colleague. Exciting stuff!

Lila's phone rang and she reached out to get it, frowning at the number. It was an unlisted number. This was right around the time that Spencer would call to check in. Shrugging, she reasoned he might be in the middle of a case and need his number to be blocked so nobody could trace him. Or something.

"Hello? Spencer?" She asked, her voice ringing out into the small trailer. Her brow was creased with concentration, listening to the background noises on the other end. She heard sirens. Dread instantly caused her stomach to knot up painfully.

"Lila, it's Aaron Hotchner. I was told to call you in case of an emergency. Reid.." The man's voice was as it always was, calm and methodic.

"Emergency? Is Spencer okay? What's going on?" Hysteria entered her body and she jumped off the chair so quickly it fell against the floor with an unpleasant crash.

"He was talking down an unsub and was unaware that there was a second one. We were all unaware of that fact. He was struck really hard at the back of his head. There was significant blood loss. He's in surgery right now. Before he went under, he requested your presence." He said everything so matter of factly that it made Lila mad. Really really mad.

"What do you mean you were unaware? Isn't this your fucking job to know just how many people are doing the crimes you're supposed to be stopping? Isn't it your job to protect each other?" Her words came out in an angry whine.

"Lila, time is of the essence. You need to get here as soon as possible."

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Lila had enough fans on the show that they agreed to put the shooting on hold for a few days to allow her to get back to Virginia to attend Spencer's bedside. They offered dull words of support and comfort as she raced out of the parking lot in a rented car. She was still dressed in that ugly costume.

A few hours later with no idea of what time it was or how Spencer was doing, she was running into the entrance of the hospital. Apparently Hotch had some reign over the nurses at the front desk because she was instantly directed to the waiting room where the rest of the team was.

A few brows were raised in her direction as she raced into the room and she slowed down, urging her body to cooperate and stay calm. Fuck that, she thought. Each member gave her a nod, acknowledging her presence. There were tears in the eyes of the women in the room. The men looked pained but struggled to contain their grief. Without realizing it, she searched for Spencer before sinking down into a chair, suddenly exhausted.

"How is he?" She asked, her voice coming out shaky and low. The female agent to her left (Emily?) placed a hand on hers to offer a brief squeeze before returning to her lap. Lila looked at her gratefully.

Hotch stepped forward. Was the man ever not the leader? She doubted it. "It's touch and go. The surgery was successful, the doctors managed to get the swelling of his brain down by… They don't know if there will be any lasting damage as he is still asleep. We've each spent time with him. It's your turn now."

Lila got up slowly, hesitating as she walked to the door that lay closed beyond them. She turned to the team with tears in her eyes. She had been prepared to scream at them, curse them out for not taking proper care of Spencer, but instead stopped short. There was pain in each person's countenance. They just wore it differently than she did.

She entered the room slowly, an entrance she never once made in her life before. Usually, she glided into rooms, demanding all the attention of the people in it, but this time, she found herself unable to even walk normally. She listened to the steady beeping of the many machines that were hooked up to Spencer, watched the rise and fall of his chest beneath the thin bed sheet and stared sadly at the young man beneath it. The circles under his eyes were far more pronounced than they'd ever been. His arms were laying stiffly at his sides and for a morbid moment, she wondered if someone had placed them there instead of crossed over his chest like they should be. She brushed the thought away as she came closer to the bed.

There were inches of bandages wrapped around his forehead, holding in place the stitches at the back of his head. She was certain that the back of his head was shaved, at least around the area of impact and knew he'd be really upset when he woke up. To her, it wasn't a matter of if, but when. She made a mental note to help him style his hair each day so the stiches and the bald spot would be able to heal privately.

"Spencer, you would laugh if you could see me now. I'm wearing some ugly polyester blue dress that only you could appreciate. You'd remark it's ironic that such a pretty girl could wear something so ugly so well. Or maybe you'd like this dress. Who knows?" As she spoke, her hands clasped one of his tightly, as if to will the life back into his broken body. Lila turned the arm over, her fingers tracing his veins up to where the IV was pushed in. She winced before turning it back over.

"That new role I got that I was so secretive about? It's pretty much you. You'll have to give me some tips on how to be more convincing. I'm not sure I'm pulling it off." She was trying hard to keep her composure despite the flood of tears running down her cheeks. He'd hate to know he was causing her to cry.

"Oh, Spencer, why do you always have to be the freaking hero? Can't you, just once, take a step back and let a team mate pull out his gun and wave it around? Or her gun. Emily seems like she's perfectly capable of doing that." Lila knew she shouldn't be expecting a response but found herself sobbing when he didn't say anything back. He was laying there, as good as dead aside from the air coming in and out of his lungs. "Come back to me."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Soooo, yeahhhh. This was going to be an one shot but I didn't want to rush his recovery and such sooooo. Yeah. Here's chapter two. REVIEW PLEASE!**

**Disclaimer: Criminal Minds doesn't belong to me. **

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

A few days passed and there wasn't much improvement. Lila called her director who agreed to continue filming without her. Thankfully, production was a few weeks ahead so all this time she was missing was no big deal. She was lucky he was so understanding. She also knew that Spencer would be mad that she was missing work on his behalf but there was no way she was going to leave his side. Every other day, Emily would drag her away from the bed to go back to the hotel for a shower or nap. She would hate doing so, but would force herself to eat or sleep or shower without him. All of it felt wrong.

She would leave the room only in those moments or if one of his team wanted some alone time with him. Then she would join the rest of them in the waiting room, recounting funny stories that few of them knew. They would share happy memories and try to fight the tears in their eyes. It wasn't the best practice, feeling eerily like a wake, but it helped them get through the long nights.

Then one day, it changed. The team had been called away on their first case in a week and had to leave the hospital room, leaving Lila and Spencer alone. She was perched on the overstuffed chair next to his bed with her limber legs tucked underneath her. Her light eyes were trained on the TV monitor that hung in the corner. She was watching that TV show that was rife with rumors about the rich and famous. The reporters were speculating about where she was. There were pictures of her on set and then pictures of her rushing through the airport. She was glad they didn't know where she was. She'd hate for the hospital to be flooded with photographers and news reporters. It would upset Spencer greatly.

He had been in and out of lucidness. The first few times, his lips moved but no words came out of them. The doctors said this was normal. It was his body slowly rebuilding the nerves that had been asleep for a few days. When he first spoke her name, his eyes focusing on her, she had cried out with joy. When he first smiled, no matter the crooked nature of it, tears had pricked her eyes and she wiped them away with a fist.

Now he was propped up on a bunch of comfortable pillows. She had rushed to a department store and bought three of them for him, wanting him to be as comfortable as possible. It was a fact that he was entirely grateful for, though he had yet to say so. He turned to her and she muted the TV so she could hear him say whatever he was planning to say.

"Did you know that 20 percent of people who suffer from severe traumatic brain injuries never recover properly?" He asked her, his voice still hoarse from misuse.

"Well, thank God, you're not part of that percent." Lila retorted, taking one of his hands in hers. A smile appeared on both of their lips. She knew this was only the beginning of his recovery but the fact that he remembered such a random statistic was proof enough for her that he was going to be just fine.

-x-x-x-x-x-

He was given leave from work when he was released from the hospital. But Spencer was upset about it. He was not used to having whole days stretch ahead of him without work to break it up. He struggled to read but would have to stop when painful headaches would cause his vision to blur. He hated to watch most of the television programs that were on during the day, so Lila had gotten him a Netflix subscription. He would start and stop a dozen different movies before finding some enormous fault with them. He would become irritable with her easily, shoving her away from him.

It hurt her, but she knew he wasn't used to be so dependent on someone. He had essentially raised himself from a young age, so to him, being taken care of was a step back. She started to back off, giving him space, only intervening when a task proved too difficult for him. They stopped talking, interacting only when necessary.

At his insistence (in writing), she went back to California to continue filming her cameo. She would come home on the weekends to check in on him and rush back to set on Monday morning. Their cohabitation became uncomfortable. They walked on eggshells around each other.

At the show's wrap party, Lila drank too much and was soon calling Spencer and cursing him out. For getting hurt. For being mean. For not needing her more. For his lack of thanks. She knew most of what she was saying was taking it too far, but she couldn't care. She was hurting, not unlike him, and she needed him to know it.

The next day, Lila nursed a hangover on the plane, sunglasses perched on her small nose. This encounter was going to be unpleasant she knew. She could only hope he would forgive her for what she said.

She could only hope that they'd recover from this accident. That his love for her hadn't been harmed when his brain had been under attack. If his feelings toward her had changed, she would have to accept it, no matter how she felt. The fear made her body stiff.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: A lot of you are subscribing to the story and faving it and all that and it makes me happy. What would make it even better is to hear from you! What you like, dislike, would like to see, etc. I thrive under compliments, trust me I do. Anywho, keep on reading. **** And if you haven't already, check out my other Lila and Spencer stories in my collection. I'm rather proud of them.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the TV series Criminal Minds or the characters mentioned in this story. **

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

To her surprise, Spencer had driven her car to the airport and was leaning against the passenger door with his own pair of sunglasses on. His lips were creased in a grimace but as he looked up, a little smile appeared on them. Lila refused to allow herself to smile; instead she nodded curtly at him.

He opened the door for her and she slid in slowly, making him wait. She knew that he hadn't meant to hurt her so much, just as she hadn't meant some of the things she'd said last night, but she was still going to make sure he knew she was mad.

"Why aren't you away on a case or something? I was going to call a cab." She asked, her voice softer than she wanted it to be.

"Still on medical leave. The doctor hasn't cleared me yet for any work, even desk work, so I've been helping the team via phone and computer. I wish I could clear myself for it, but the last time I did that, Hotch nearly grounded me."

Though she didn't want to laugh, she couldn't help herself. Spencer looked like a kicked puppy sitting in the driver's seat, talking morosely as he drove. He glanced over at her and they soon were sitting in silence. It served them both fine, each one stewing in their own thoughts.

Within minutes, they were pulling into the driveway of their neat little house. One that had been Lila's until she convinced Spencer to move in. She recalled that day when she asked and an involuntary smile appeared on her lips. He noticed it and smiled back.

Quietly, they exited the car and walked up the front walk. They were trying hard to ignore the other one as much as possible, but clearly it wasn't working. Spencer got out the key and unlocked the door, allowing her to enter the warm air first. She smelled the flowers before she saw them and found herself running into the kitchen to see nearly two dozen arrangements of the red anemones.

Lila turned to study the man that entered the kitchen after her. He looked rather sheepish, nervous almost, as he placed her suitcase on the floor beside her. "Do.. Do you like them?"

She had to hold herself back, reminding herself that she was still hurting and he probably was pretty sore too. She picked up one bouquet and held it to her nose and inhaled deeply. A dopey smile appeared on her lips as she recalled previous moments she had done just this. She placed them back on the counter and nodded happily.

"Is this your way of saying you're sorry for being such an ass to me when all I was doing was taking care of you?"

It was his turn to studiously stare at the flowers, fingers pressing against the redness of the leaves. He nodded briefly before looking up at her.

"I… I'm not used to not being able to cope on my own, Lila. Ever since you came back into my life, I've felt powerless on my own. When I was .. asleep, all I could think about was you and my mom. And how disappointed I'd make you both if I didn't wake up."

"Spenc.." Lila started before he cut her off with a dicing motion of his hand.

"No.. No, let me finish." This stunned Lila. The tone he used with her was one of anger. But not at her, rather at himself. She found herself sitting down on a chair rather heavily. "I know how I treated you afterward was inappropriate and uncalled for, but I also know a simple apology won't heal the pain I caused you. These flowers are just the start of my apology that will continue the rest of our lives together. Or until you decide to leave me. Either way, I'll keep apologizing until I run out of words and actions to express my deepest sincere regret that I ever made you feel less than number one in my life. To me, Lila, you are more important than the air I breathe."

Tears welled up in Lila's eyes as she listened to his long speech to her. There were no statistics used, a rarity when he spoke for so long. "I know I am not worthy to be in the presence of such a beauty as yourself, Lila, but I thank whatever is responsible for throwing you in my path, for deeming me lucky enough to share some of my life with you."

With those words, he crossed the little distance between them and pulled her to him, wrapping his long arms around her slender back. "I thought you didn't believe in fate or luck or any of that 'juvenile nonsense'." Lila muttered into his chest.

"I didn't. I do now. How else could it be explained that a FBI agent fell in love with a starlet? What other truth could possibly be there besides some higher power that pushed our separate futures together as one?"

As he spoke, his fingers possessively brushed against her cheeks, pushing her hair off her wet skin. "How is it that whenever I'm truly mad at you, all you have to do is speak and flash your puppy dog eyes and all is forgiven?" Lila asked, her eyes flickering closed at his gentle touches.

"Because you love me, Lila. Because I love you. The life we are going to lead will be one people will envy. It won't always be easy, but nothing in this world that's worth having is."

"Oh, there you go again, quoting some ancient wise man. Who said that?"

"Theodore Roosevelt. Of course." Spencer responded happily.

"Of course." Lila responded back with a smile. "Now, turn around. I want to make sure you haven't been bothering your stitches." He obliged and she gently lifted up a patch of hair that covered his healing wound. It was healing nicely so she pressed a kiss right below the last stitch that made Spencer's knees go weak.

"Can we have make-up sex now?" Spencer asked, his tone as serious as his eyes that were drilling into hers.

"Did the doctor clear you for that?" Lila asked, even as she was starting to unbutton his shirt and pull off his ever present tie.

"This one did." He retorted with a smirk, helping her out of her own clothing. Just as he was about to pull her naked body to him, she pulled away.

"Lila!" Spencer cried morosely, his hands reaching out for her. But each time he came close to claiming her, she'd slip away again, running towards the stairs. She paused near the top of it, placing one hand on the banister and the other on her neck.

"Doctor Reid, surely you know that good things come to those who wait." She said steadily, watching him climb the stairs in two easy leaps until they were face to face.

"I think I've waited long enough." His voice was ragged as he pressed his lips against hers and took her in his arms. They didn't even make it to the bedroom.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Later, Lila was awakened by scratchy fabric being draped over her legs. She opened one eye wearily before sitting up in bed. There on the edge of her feet was the dress she wore for the character she played. Spencer was standing in front of her, arms crossed over his thin chest. "I want to see it on you."

"Did you go through my suitcase?" She asked in mock exasperation.

"Yes. I did. I saw a picture of you on some stupid news show in that dress and I want to see it on you in person." He pulled her to the edge of the bed, allowing her to get to her feet on her own free will.

"Why?"

"Because I think you look adorable in it." She pulled the dress on, her eyes never leaving his except to make sure the buttons were properly lined up. Once it was on, she spun around on one foot with a smile on her lips.

"Do I look simply ravishing, Spencer?"

"You always do."

Their lips joined together in a gentle kiss as their hands sought the other's.

Long nimble fingers brushed against the first button and made Lila's breath hitch.

"Did you make me put this dress on just so you could take it off?" He nodded, a sideways grin appearing on his face.

"You little devious genius, you."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Noticed a few loose ends in 'Always a Hero', so here it is.. The last chapter I think. Who knows? I really should update 'Smile, Darling, Smile' and 'Promises, Promises' and maybe have more fluffy one shots, but this popped into my brain. It's a combo of a lot of things I love. Hopefully you will too. **

**READ AND REVIEW PLEASE AND THANK YOU!**

**DISCLAIMER: Criminal Minds does not belong to this girl. Not even close. I don't even own a DVD. Shame on me. **

-x-x-x-x-x-

Her eyes darkened as the severity of the situation nestled into her mind. She was dying. There it was: the large puddle of blood gathering beneath her. Her blood. It stained the blue dress she was wearing and slipped between her small fingers. A little sigh shuddered through her lips that were gasping for air that just wasn't reaching her lungs. She watched silently as a man landed clumsily on his knees before her, screaming words she couldn't hear or understand.

He placed his fingers over her wound, trying to stop the flowing blood. Her own hands were pushed aside as the man grimaced, looking at the area where the bullet hit her. She was dying. There was little to no chance she'd survive such an attack. He could feel her life start to drain out of her.

"Sandra, hang on! Please, don't go. You solved the case! Sandy, you did it!" The man pressed his hand against her chest harder evoking a cry of displeasure from the young woman's lips. He pulled her into a sitting position to prevent her blonde hair from getting bloodier. He looked around wildly as his young colleague took her last breath, blood bubbling up to her lips making them red once again. They made eye contact for the last time as she exhaled. He wiped his left hand on his dark pants to close her eyes. She would never look at him in anger again, or in sadness. Nor would she ever grin at him in that childish way of hers. "Goodbye, dear girl, rest in peace." He placed her gently on the ground, pushing a stray bang that felt into her eyes away as the EMTS ran up to the scene. "It's too late, boys. She's gone."

-x-x-x-x-x-

Spencer was abnormally silent. During her show's hour long premiere he had been chattering away about the impossibilities that he saw played out on the screen. But after a few episodes, it came to Lila's character's death and he was quite unhappy with the scene. It was too real for him. Substitute the name Sandy for Lila and it was her dying. The credits rolled across the screen as he sat there glaring at the floor.

"Well, Spencer.. What did you think?" A curious voice rang into his ears and he looked at her with a frown on his face.

"I think it was rather awful. Not your acting, mind you. But that man… Why couldn't they have killed him instead of you… Your character I mean."

Lila put a hand on his shoulder, curling against his side. "Oh, Spence. I meant what you thought of the death. Not the rest of it. Was I realistic enough?" She hated to ask him that question, but he'd seen enough people die that he would know.

"It was too real." He responded sullenly, avoiding her concerned gaze.

"Spencer. Hey, look at me. I'm here, right here. Not there. It's just a TV show. One that I will no longer be starring in because of that dramatic exit. The next role I take, I won't choose one where I die. I promise."

A part of him knew he was being irrational, but another part of him knew that anything could happen. They could promise each other loads of things but one day, it could all change. He had nearly died. Where would that have left her?

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Lila… Lila… Wake up. Lila." A small hand swung out and whacked him gently in the face, pressing her pointer finger to his lips to silence him. But he spoke around it, moving his head ever so slightly to the left.

With a groan, a sleepy Lila rolled over onto her stomach and perched herself on her elbows, her blonde hair falling around her bare shoulders. Spencer was sitting up in bed, his legs folded indian style. He was dressed in a pair of boxer shorts, the type he only wore to bed. She smiled and fingered the edge of it as he took her hand in his, stilling her motion.

"What is it, Spencer?" She asked groggily, leaning her chin against his arm, gazing lovingly up at him.

"Marry me." He nearly muttered. Lila sat straight up, the sheet falling away from her naked body. She stared at him with wide eyes.

"What?" She squeaked.

"Marry me." Spencer said evenly for the second time, grabbing a little ring box from his bedside table. How long had that been there? She thought wildly as she stared at him in disbelief.

"I. I… Oh, Spencer." She sighed softly, her eyes closing for a few moments before opening up revealing tears. "Of course, I'll marry you, you big dope. But couldn't you have done this in the morning when I was properly dressed?"

She watched him slide a beautiful diamond ring onto her shaking ring finger. It was perfect. Not too big, nor was it something to be overlooked. It was simple but gorgeous.

"Why would I? This is the Lila I love most. Rumpled hair, pillow prints on your cheeks, a little drool mark on your chin, hazy eyes." He kissed her hand once, twice and then put his lips against hers to kiss her with much more passion than he had before.

"Why do you always have to say the right things? You turn me into mush." She purred into his ear as he hugged her close to him.

"It's what I do." He shrugged, getting ready to have his first make-out session with his fiancée when she pulled away to examine his face. (He had a fiancée!)

"Last question: Can't you let Rossi or Prentiss brandish their weapons threateningly? If I'm going to be your wife, I need to know every once in a while, you'll sit it out on the sidelines and let the others run the field."

Spencer knew he couldn't promise her that, just like he knew one of her future roles would involve her death in some way, but he also knew how to make a half-promise.

"Only if you keep that dress." She wrinkled her nose in the cutest way.

"Why? It's all bloody now." Lila responded curiously.

"So I can always save you, Lila. So I can rescue you from death's evil grip!" She giggled as Spencer put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed her tightly.

"Even before I met you, you were destined to be my hero, weren't you? You're always the hero." He said nothing as she slid back down into bed, pulling him with her. She gazed dreamily at her ring before looking up at him with a peaceful smile on her lips.

"Kiss me." She demanded and for once, Spencer didn't question her. He did as he was told without a witty comment or statistic. Later that night, he walked to the bathroom and appraised himself in the mirror. It was the same face staring back at him as it always was, but there was certain happiness in his eyes.

_You're always the hero. _


End file.
